Culture in Budapest

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Fogasház

One of the unique establishments of Budapest is the ruin bar or “romkocsma”. In a not entirely original idea, entrepreneurs used old derelict buildings, hallmarks of inner city Budapest, and without renovation and sparse furnishings opened fun, tolerant and quality bars. Lacking the formality of bars and pubs but having the same amount and variety of alcohol (if not greater), the idea caught on and now there are literally a hundred or so such establishments. One of the ones that stands out is the Fogasház.

Located in the 7th district just off of Király utca, one of the main party and cultural streets is the bustling Akácfa utca, one of the bigger streets in the area, and just across the enormous marketplace is a small, quaint building in terrible disrepair, with a sign showing an ancient advertisement for dentures. This funny but otherwise non descript building is now home to one of the best clubs and party places in Budapest, hosting some of the best international Djs and live acts, as well as hosting some of the best local talent as well.

The dancefloor is located in the courtyard of the building, and the bars are located around it, and there is an indoor area as well. These sorts of buildings are quintessentially Budapest, and spending a night in one is definitely a good way to get a feel for the nightlife of this exuberant city. As with most establishments, the bar is open until 4 am, seven days a week. This place, as all ruin bars, are extremely friendly towards foreigners and travelers, and many expats like to visit these places as well, so the crowd is very diverse and interesting. Aside from just parties and drinking, the house also holds charity and social events as well, which is really what makes this particular bar unique. One of the things Fogasház is hosting is a charity garage sale. During this sale, patrons of the bar are asked to bring in things they do not need or buy other peoples things for donations, all of which go towards a kindergarten that deals with sick children, the famous Dankó street kindergarten. 50% of the proceeds are going to go towards a particular child who is suffering from neuroblastoma and needs to get surgery abroad. These kind of establishments, and the heads of these establishments with this kind of mentality are important because they are making an effort to really build a community and provide more than just a place to hang out and get drunk.